From the shadows emerged a different Orc. Larger. Bulkier. And his eyes held none of the foolishness seen in the others.

  He stopped in front of the bodies of the weaker Orcs, looking at them with clear contempt.

  "How disgraceful… for the Orc Council…" His voice was deep, like stone crushing under bone.

  Then he raised his gaze toward Auren.

  "Your fate has been decided."

  One step forward.

  "And it is"

  He did not finish the sentence. A black flash, and Auren's body vanished from sight. The Orc's head fell to the ground before the word could reach its conclusion.

  "…Death."

  The head rolled across the leaves, its eyes still wide open. Silence followed.

  [System Notification]

  [You have received a title]

  [Orc Slayer]

  Auren did not speak. He did not even glance at the corpse. It was as if it meant nothing. He lifted his gaze toward the heart of the camp, analyzing distances, wind direction, and the number of orcs.

  At the center of the camp, a throne of intertwined human and monstrous bones rose ominously. Upon it sat a massive Orc, holding a black mace engraved with mysterious runes. He was not a warrior. He was a mage. Around him swirled a dense, restless, but stable mana aura.

  To his right and left, two massive Orcs stood silently, radiating true power. Guardians.

  In the middle of the camp, a body hung by a rope, torn and swaying slowly. Orcs laughed as they kicked it, treating him like a toy. Auren recognized him immediately. It was Rael's father, half-human but his eyes were extinguished. He was dead. Already.

  Time seemed to stop. Thought. Analysis. Calm. Then all of that vanished. Auren moved. He entered the camp directly no stealth, no fear. He killed.

  The Black Dagger gleamed in the dim flames. Necks were sliced. Hearts pierced. Screams stifled. Before anyone could comprehend what was happening, he reached the hanging body, grabbed it, lowered it carefully, and checked. No pulse. No life.

  "You."

  The voice came from the throne. Condescending.

  "How dare you storm an Orc camp?"

  The smaller Orcs went berserk, screaming, charging, creating chaos. The Orc warrior to the leader's right roared, and a pressure wave burst from him a wave of subjugation. The frenzied Orcs dropped to one knee. Silence.

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  The leader smiled.

  "Seems you want to become our next toy."

  Auren laughed, a choked, tense laugh, his hand covering half his face.

  "A toy…? Was all this… just a game?" He drew in a heavy breath. "Damn… it's suffocating… more than I expected."

  He remembered Rael, his sister Elena, feeling loss for the second time. Tears slid silently. The Orcs laughed chortles, mockery, voices full of contempt.

  Then Auren lifted his head. Tears still running, but his eyes burned not sad, but fierce.

  "Arcanum."

  The air trembled.

  "…Ignis."

  Dark red flames erupted beneath their feet, engulfing the weaker Orcs immediately. Their screams lasted mere seconds. Around the throne, the aura remained intact. The leader did not move. His mace rested on the ground, and black mana circles spread beneath him. The massive Orcs on his sides remained untouched, their skin dark and dense, eyes cold, watching silently.

  From behind the burning tents, more came. One. Two. Five. Ten. Over twenty large Orcs, their bodies scarred from countless battles. These were no scouting troops they were an occupying force.

  The leader spoke in terrifying calm.

  "Prove you deserve to entertain me."

  Auren opened his system interface quickly.

  [Level Up → 14]

  A bar appeared showing mana consumption.

  [Mana: 73%]

  Ignis consumed more than he expected. His breath was heavier.

  "Wrong… I cannot end everything by sheer force," he muttered.

  The first Orc charged. The impact nearly broke his arm. Incredible physical strength. A step back. The Black Dagger appeared in his hand a strike to the thigh. Effect activated. The Orc staggered, losing balance for a moment. A stab to the neck. Fall.

  [Level Up → 15]

  Two attacked together. A blow hit his shoulder; he felt bone shift. Pain was real. Blood began to flow.

  "Damn…" He stepped back into the flames. The Orcs did not fear partial burning. Three charged at once. He jumped, twisted midair, cut one's belly, kicked another into the fire, stabbed the third in the eye.

  [Level Up → 16]

  The battle became a slow massacre but not easy. Each kill cost mana. Cost blood. A heavy strike hit his rib. A soft cracking sound. Vision blurred.

  "Rise…" he whispered. He remembered Rael, Elena, the hanging body. His eyes grew calmer. Colder. He moved with strategy, no longer confronting them head-on. He made them crowd together, trip over each other, strike each other. Used fire as a barrier, not the main weapon. Stab. Withdraw. Injure. Finish.

  [Level Up → 17]

  [Level Up → 18]

  [Level Up → 19]

  The ground filled with bodies, but six remained the strongest. They charged together. Their pressure nearly crushed him. One grabbed his arm. Another swung a punch at his head.

  Auren whispered, "Ignis… focus." A small concentrated explosion in the Orc's grasp. Arm burned. Freed. Full spin. The dagger cut the knee tendons of two. Fall. Two quick stabs.

  [Level Up → 20]

  The last four stepped back. Fear began to show. Auren panted heavily. Blood covered half his body. But his eyes were steady. He charged again no hesitation. Move. Cut. Dodge. Stab.

  [Level Up → 21]

  The last large Orc screamed and rushed in a suicidal charge. He collided with Auren, knocking him down. The fist rose. Auren drove the dagger straight under his jaw. Silence. Heavy fall.

  [System Notification]

  [Level Up → 22]

  [Mana: 13%]

  The camp had become a graveyard. The flames gradually faded. Auren stood with difficulty, breath ragged, ribs aching, mana nearly drained.

  A slow, deliberate wooden creak announced movement. The leader finally stood. His mace struck the ground, and mana pressure descended like a mountain. The Orcs beside him stepped forward, cracking the earth beneath their feet. They had not fought yet. They waited.

  The leader surveyed the corpses. "You killed my soldiers. But do you think… this was my army?" The mana around him grew heavier, darker, colder.

  Auren slowly raised his head, blood running down his forehead. He smiled. despite the pain. despite the pressure.

  "Good." He gripped the dagger tightly. "I feared this game would end too quickly."

  The leader smiled but his eyes did not.